Don’t link salvation in the hereafter to politics, says religious affairs minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Religious Affairs Minister Dr Zulkifli Hasan has cautioned against linking one's salvation in the afterlife to political affiliations. He emphasized that the ultimate decision regarding heaven and hell lies solely with Allah SWT and cannot be confirmed by any individual, leader, or political organization. Dr Zulkifli stressed that supporting any political party does not determine one's eligibility for Allah's pleasure, as true faith, pious behavior, and righteous deeds from the Quran and Sunnah are the primary requirements for salvation.

He went on to criticize the practice of proclaiming one's group as the only true and pure while excluding others from Allah's mercy, stating that such self-praise and extremism (ghuluw) are strictly prohibited in Islam. Dr Zulkifli noted that political parties serve as intermediaries in human affairs, possessing weaknesses and requiring independent reasoning (ijtihad), and cannot be considered equivalent to religion or used as the sole measure of a person's standing before Allah SWT.

To address this issue, Dr Zulkifli called for political entities to mature their culture by prioritizing justice, the welfare of the Muslim community (ummah), and good character as core principles, rather than exploiting religious sentiments for political gain. He urged society to differentiate between religion as a guide to life and political parties as platforms for human endeavors.

The minister's remarks came in response to media reports that quoted PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan as suggesting that supporting PAS and its Islamic-based causes could lead to a ticket to heaven. Takiyuddin had said that those who joined PAS and fought for Islam could earn the reward of heaven and referred to those who died defending Islam as martyrs.